Free play device



April 13, 1937. J. H. TIGERMAN FREE PLAY DEVICE Filed June 12, 1956 2Sheets-Sheet 1 EQTHIIWM H wmz n Q N In v'erz Z'Or Josey??? Ji-.Tiyermarz April 13, 1937. J. H. TIGERMAN 2,076,332

FREE PLAY DEVICE Filed June 12, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 His A fly.

Patented Apr. 13, 1937 UNITED STATES ms PLAY DEVICE Joseph H. Tiger-man,Chicago, Ill.. aaaignor to J. H. Tigerman, Inc., Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Illinois Application June 12, 1936, Serial No. 84,795

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a free play device.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved free playdevice which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction andefficient m use.

soothe object of the present invention is to provide a free play devicefor coimwntrolled apparatus such, for example, as an amusement a 1 ratusof the so 'called pin and marble game b coin-controlled apparatus. zonalobject of the present invention is to provide a novel device forcontrolling the operation the free play device.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide novel devicefor controlling the operation of the free play device in such a mannerthat the indicator in the same may be moved 0 e or more circumferentialsteps away from its initial or zero position at each operation thereof,rather than in a constant and predetermined sequence of onecircumferential step at each time as in the prior art free play devices.

A. further object oi the present invention is to provide a novel devicefor simultaneously operating the resetting mechanism for the free playindicator and the means for moving the ball-retaining member intoball-releasing position, when the free play device is used inconjunction with an amusement apparatus of the so-called pin and marblegame type.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. l is a longitudinal vertical sectional view showing a preferredform of the new free play device embodied in an amusement apparatus ofthe so-called pin and marble game type;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the several electrical circuitsembodied in the new device; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly diagrammatic, showing the new free playdevice, the control mechanism therefor, and the various circuitsassociated therewith.

A preferred form of the new free play device is shown in the drawingsand is therein shown, for the purpose of illustration, as beingassociated with an amusement apparatus of the so-called pin and marblegame type, said amusement apparatus being generally indicated at in andcomprising a cabinet ll which includes an inclined playing board l2; itbeing understood, however, that while the new free play device is shownas being associated with an amusement apparatus of the so-called pin andmarble game type it may be used in conjunction with othercoin-controlled apparatus such, for example, as automatic phonographs,and the like.

Provided in the inclined playing board ill are ball-receiving pockets orexit openings it! and slidably mounted in the cabinet ll, below the winclined playing board i2, is an operating mechanism in the form of a socalled shame-board or ball-retaining member is, and mounted on theball-retaining member M. are switches it which are adapted to be closedby the action oi. halls It 35 entering the pockets i3.

lrovidecl in the cabinet it is an upright wall or support El andattached to this wall it" is a bracket ill on which is mounted asolenoid it; this solenoid is including movable element or 90 armature2t which is attached, as at El, to the ball-retaining member is (Fig.l.) This solenoid i9 is embodied or arranged in an electrical circult,generally indicated at 22 (Fig. 2) and arranged in this circuit is acontrol switch in the form of a push button switch 23 which is slidablymounted in the end wall 2d of the cabinet ll (Fig. 1). Likewise embodiedin the circuit 22 is a source of electrical energy which may be abattery of dry cells, or the like, 2% which are shown as being mountedin the cabinet ii on the bottom wall thereof.

The present invention embodies a new free play device, which isgenerally indicated 25, and this free play device includes an indicatoror 35 pointer 26 which is fixedly mounted on or attached to a verticallyextending rotatable shaft 21 and this indicator 26 is movable over adial (not shown) but which may be arranged in the cabinet H below thetransparent or glass top 28 of the same. Likewise mounted on the shaft21' is a ratchet 29 and engageable with the teeth of the ratchet 29 is apawl 30 which is pivotally mounted, as at 3!, upon a slide bar 32 whichis slidably mounted upon a supporting frame 33, the pawl 30 beingnormally urged out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 29 by aspring 34 (Fig. 3) and the extent of movement of the pawl 30 beinglimited by a pin and slot connection 35 which it has with the slide bar32. 5%

The slide bar 32 is attached, as at 36, to the movable element orarmature 31 of a solenoid 38 which is mounted upon a supporting frame39, upon which the frame 33 is likewise mounted, and this solenoid 38 isembodied in an electrical circuit 40 which is controlled by a controldevice or commutator H, which will be described hereinaiter, and whichforms the subject matter of my copending application, Serial No. 67,614,filed 5 March 7, 1936, on a coin checking or dispensing device.

Pivotally mounted, as at 42, upon the supporting frame 33, is anescapement dog 43, and this dog 43 is pivotally connected, as at 44, tothe movable eiement or armature 45 of a solenoid it which is mountedupon the supporting frame One side of the solenoid 46 is electricallyconnected, by way of a conductor M, with one side of the solenoid it,and the other side of the solenoid it is electrically connected, by wayof conductors ii] and 2G, with the other side of the solenoid lli; whilethe conductors 58-49 are, in

turn, electrically connected, by way of a conductor to a resilientcontact 5i of a switch 52 which is mounted on the supporting frame 3%.The switch also includes a resilient contact 53 which is somewhatshorter in length than the contact iii (Fig. 3) so that the contact 5ihas an end portion which projects beyond the end oi the contact Mountedon the ratchet 29 and projecting upwardly, above the upper surface ofthe latter, is 9. lug or pin and this lug 55 is engageahle with the endportion of the contact St for reason to he explained hereinafter.

The contact is electrically connected, by way of a conductor with oneside of the cur rent source 2d, and the other side of the current sourceis electrically connected, by way of conductors to and fi'l, to one sideof the push button or control switch each of the ball-actuated switchesl5 including a contact which is electrically connected, by conductor55?, to the conductor Ell.

The control device ll for the free play device 25 includes an annularrow of spaced stationary contacts to, each of which is electricallyconnected, by a conductor 53, to the stationary and central contact ofthe corresponding switch it, it being noted hat central contact 64:; ofthe initial switch to (as seen looking left to right in Fig. 3) iselectrically connected, by way of the conductor 63a to the initialcontact Sila and that the second contact 60b (as seen looking frombottom to top Fig. 3) is electrically connected, by way of conductor 83bto the contact inlet of the switch ltd; and that the middle contact 642)of the second switch i527 is connected, by a conductor liili, to theconductor 63b, for a reason which will be made apparent hereinafter.

The control device or commutator 4! also includes a movable contact 62which is movable over, and successively into engagement with thestationary contacts 60, this movable contact 62 being fix :lly mountedon or attached to a shaft 63 which is rotatably mounted upon a support.Likewise mounted on the shaft 63 is a ratchet 65 and engageable withthis ratchet 65 is a pawl 66, this pawl 66 being pivotally mountedbetween its ends, as at El, upon an upward extension SI of a rocker arm15 which is loosely mounted upon, that is, floats, on the shaft 63; thepawl 66 being urged into engagement with the ratchet 65 by a spring 10.The lower end portion 16 of the rocker arm 15 projects into a slot I!which is formed in the armature or movable element 82 of a solenoid '18.

Likewise loosely mounted on, that is, floating,

' the contact 14 so as to close the switch 13.

A spring Bl has one end portion attached to the rocker arm 75, as at 85,and has its other end portion attached to the lower end portion 'H' ofthe rocker arm 69, as at 86.

Operation When a ball iii enters one of the ball-receiving pockets l3 itcloses the corresponding switch #5, by bridging the contacts 58 and 64thereof, whereupon current will flow through the solenoid T8 of ihecontrol device ti as follows: from one side of the current source 24, byway of the conductors 39 and 5?, through the corresponding and closedswitch it, through the conductor 63 and corresponding contact 60,through the movable contact G2 (which at this time disposed in itsinitial position, that is, in engagement with the initial contact Eta)thence 'o" way of the ground conductor 9i and conductors S2 and 93 toone side of the solenoid "it, through the latter, and thence by way 01'the conductors 9d and 95 and switch "53 back to the other side of thecurrent source 2t, thereby energizing the solenoid l8; it beingunderstood that the switch '13 is normally closed.

When the solenoid T8 is thus energized it moves its armature 82 (left toright, Fig. 3), and this movement of the armature 82 moves the rockerarm 15 (counterclockwise, Hg. 3) on the shaft 83. During this operationthe pawl 66 rides over the ratchet 65 an angular or circumferentialdistance equal to the angular distance between two of the teeth in theratchet 85. As the armature d2 of the solenoid 18 is moved (left toright, Fig. 3) it acts, through the lower end portion 16 of the rockerarm 15 and the spring 81, to move the rocker arm 69 (clockwise, Fig. 3)on the shaft 63, thus moving the lower end portion ll of the rocker arm69 out of engagement with the resilient contact 12 of the switch 13,whereupon the said contact 12 will move, under the action of its ownresiliency, into position to open the switch 13, thereby deenergizingthe solenoid l8; the

movement of the rocker arm 59 (clockwise, Fig.

3) being limited by the engagement of its upper end portion 83 with thestop 88.

When the solenoid 18 is thus deenergized, by the opening of the switch13, the tensioned resetting spring l9 returns the armature 82 of thesolenoid '18 back to its initial position (as in Fig. 3) and during thisoperation the armature 11 moves the rocker arm 15 (clockwise, Fig. 3) onthe shaft 63, thereby causing the pawl 66 to engage the teeth of theratchet and move the same, together with the shaft 63 and the movablecontact 62 a circumferential distance corresponding to the distancebetween two of the stationary contacts 60, that is, out of engagementwith the initial contact a into engagement with the contact 60b, therebyagain closing circuit to, and energizing, the solenoid 18, this cycle ofoperations continuing until the movable contact 82 moves out ofengagement with the particular contact 60 which corresponds to, and iselectrically connected by the corresponding conductor 62, to theparticular switch II which has been closed by the action a ball enteringone of the pockets I3. Thus, for example, it the ball enters theparticular pocket I3 with which the switch I60 is associated thesolenoid I0 will be energized, and the control device 4| will beactuated, three successive times, during which operation the movablecontact 62 or the commutatoror control device 4I will move successivelyfrom its initial position, in engagement with the contact 60a, into andout of engagement with the contact 60c whereupon the control device Uwill cease to operate, the movable contact 62 being returned to itsinitial position by any suitable resetting means (not shown).

It is to be noted that when the parts are in their initial position, thelug 55 on the ratchet 29 is disposed in engagement with the end portion54 of the contact 6|, thereby maintaining the switch 52 in openposition. However, when the solenoid I6 is energized, as above setforth, to operate the control device 4I, circuit is also closed to thesolenoid 36 so as to operate the free play device 25, current thenflowing as follows: from one side of the current source 24, by way ofthe conductors 89 and 66 to one side of the solenoid 38, through thelatter, and then by way of the conductors 91 and 95 and switch I3 backto the other side current source 24, thereby energizing the solenoid 38.

When the solenoid 361s thus energized it will attract its movableelement or armature 37 and the slide bar 52 (downwardly, as seen in Fig.3)

against the action 01' the resetting spring 98, th areby moving the pawl30 into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 29. Accordingly, whenthe switch 13 is opened, in the manner hereinbefore set forth, thetensioned resetting spring 08 will move the slide bar 32 and armature 31back into their initial positions (as seen in Fig. 3), and during thisoperation the pawl 30 will engage the teeth of the ratchet 29 and movethe latter, shaft 21, and indicator 26 one circumferential step(counterclockwise, Fig. 3), and the indicator 26 will then show that theplayer has one free play to his credit.

When the player has one or more free games to his credit, as shown bythe indicator 25, that is, when the indicator 26 is away from itsinitial or zero position, the player may move the ballretaining memberor so-called "shuffle-board" i 2 into bail-releasing position byoperating the control switch 23, which may be of the push button typ orany other desired type, whereupon, when the control switch 23 is closedthe operating solenoid IQ for the ball-retaining member I4 will beenergized, current then flowing as follows: from one side of the currentsource 26, by way of the conductor 56, switch 52, and conductors 50 and49, into one side of the solenoid I9, through the latter, and then byway oi! the conductor 98, switch 23 and conductors 51 and 89 back to theother side of the current source 24, thereby energizing the operatingsolenoid I! for the ball-' retaining member I4.

When the operating solenoid I9 for the ballretaining member I4 is thusenergized it will act upon its movable element or armature 20 to movethe latter (right to left, Fig. 1), thereby moving the slidableball-retaining member I4 (right to left, Fig; 1) into ball-releasingposition, that is, into position to release the balls I6 from thepockets I2 in the inclined playing board I2; the ball-retaining memberI4 being returned to its initial position by a conventional resettingspring (not shown). In this manner the player is enabled to play a freegame upon the amusement apparatus III, with which the present inventionis associated, in the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings,without inserting a coin into or operating the coin slide 09 which, asis well understood in the art, has a conventional operative connection(not shown) with the ball-retaining member I4 for operating the latter.

The control device 4| includes a lever I06 (Fig. 3) which is pivotallymounted between its ends in the cabinet II, as at E01, and this memberI06 has an upper end portion I04 which is engageable with an arm orbracket I05 which is attached to and depends from the slidableballretaining member I4 (Fig. 1). The upper end portion I 04 of thelever I06 is engageable with an upwardly extending arm I 09 of the pawl86.

Accordingly, each time the ball-retaining member I4 is moved (right toleft, Fig. 1) into ballreleasing position, the depending arm I05 thereofwill engagethe upper end portion I04 of the lever I06 and will pivot thelatter, at I01, (counterclockwise, Fig. 3), thereby moving the upper endportion I04 of the lever I06 into engagement with the upwardly extendingarm I09 of the pawl 66 and thus moving the pawl 66 out of engagementwith the ratchet 65, whereupon the tensioned resetting coil spring I08for the ratchet 65 will move the latter and the shaft 63 and the movablecontact 62 of the control device 4i one circumferential step(counterclockwise, Fig. 3), that is, a circumferential distance equal tothe circumferential distance between two of the stationary contacts 60of the commutator ti. This operation is repeated each time the circuitto the solenoid I9 is closed, by the switch 23, to operate theball-retaining member I4, so that when the latter has been operated anumber of times equal to the number of free plays the player has to hiscredit, as indicated by the free play indicator 26, the movable contactwill be back in its initiai position, that is, in engagement with thecontact 600;. It is to be noted, in this connection, that the lever I06is returned to its initial position, (asin Fig. 3) after each operationthereof, by its resetting spring IIO.

When the operating solenoid 30 for the ballretaining member I4 isenergized, the operating solenoid 46 which operates the resetting device43 for the free play indicator 26 is likewise energized, current thenflowing as follows: from one side of the current source 24, by way ofthe conductor 56, through the switch 52, through the conductors 50 and48 into one side of the solenoid 46, through the latter, and then by wayof the conductors 41 and 88, switch 23, and com clusters 51 and 89 backto the other side of the current source 24.

When the operating solenoid 46 for the resetting device (for the freeplay device H) is thus energized it will attract its movable element orarmature 45, against the action of its resetting spring I00, (downwardlyas seen in Fig. 3) thereby plvoting the pawl 43,, at 42,(counterclockwise, Fig. 3). This movement of the pawl 43 moves the armI02 thereof out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 20 and atthe same time moves the arm IOI oi the pawl 43 into engagement with theteeth of the ratchet 29, thus moving the ratchet 29 and the free playindicator 26 one circumferential or angular step back toward theirinitial positions, (clockwise, Fig. 3), this resetting operation beingrepeated each time the control switch 23 is operated to play a free gameupon the amusement apparatus 10 with which the present invention isassociated.

Accordingly, when the free play indicator 26 and the ratchet 29 arereset back into their initial positions, the lug or pin 55 on theratchet 29 will engage the end portion 54 of the contact El and willthereby move the latter out of engagement with the contact 53, thusopening the switch 52 and breaking circuit both to the operatingsolemold is for the ball-retaining member id and to the operatingsolenoid #16 for the resetting mech-- anism GS of the free play device25, it being noted that the contacts at and 53 of the switch 52 arenormally urged into engagement with each other by their own resiliency.It is to be noted, however, that when the free play device 25 is in tsnormal or initial position, the pin or lug 55 on the ratchet 29 isdisposed in engagement with the end portion 5 or" the contact 56, thusmalntalning the switch 52 in open position, and that when the switch 52is opened circuit can not be closed to either of the solenoids 46 andi9, by operating the manual control switch 23, and hence the player cannot move the ball-retaining member it into ball-releasing position byoperating the manual control switch '23 when the free play device 25 isin its normal or initial position. It is also to be noted that in thepresent free play device the player may become entitled to one or morefree plays when a ball it enters one of the pockets rather than beinglimited to but one free play for each ball, as in the prior art freeplay devices.

It will be noted, (Fig. 3) that the stationary contacts iiilf to 6657,inclusive, are tied together into one unit by means of a conductivestrip Hi3 so that if a ball 66 enters into the particular pocket 53which has the switch l5 associated therewith the movable contact 62 ofthe control device or commutator ll will move from its initial positionin engagement with the contact 60a successively into engagement with thestationary contacts 66a, 60b, 60c, 60d, tile, 881, 60g, 667;, (Elli, and667, thus closing circuit ten (16) times in succession to the solenoidsIii and 38 and thus moving the free play indicator 26 tencircumferential steps (counterclockwise, Fig. 3), thereby indicatingthat the player is, and thus entitling him to, ten free plays.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form or"construction for carrying my invention into erTect, this is capable ofvariation and modification, without departing from the spirit of theinvention. 1, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails 01' construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

l. A free play device for an amusement apparatus of the type whichincludes a cabinet having an inclined playing board provided withballreceiving pockets, and a ball-retaining member slidably mounted inthe said cabinet below the said inclined playing board for temporarilyretaining therein balls which enter into said pockets, said free playdevice comprising a free play indicator movably mounted in or adjacentto the said cabinet, control means actuated by a ball entering one ofthe said pockets for moving said indicator in a direction away from itsinitial or zero position at each operation thereof, said control meansincluding a device for moving the said indicator alternatively one or aplurality of steps at each operation thereof, the number or said stepsat each operation being determined by the particular one of the saidpockets the said ball enters.

2. A free play device for an amusement apparatus of the type whichincludes a cabinet having an inclined playing board provided withballrecelving pockets, and a ball-retaining member slidably mounted inthe said cabinet below said inclined playing board for temporarily retaining therein balls which enter into said pockets, said freeplaydevice comprising a free play indicator movably mounted in oradjacent to the said cabinet, control means actuated by a ball enteringone of the said pockets for moving the said indicator in a directionaway from its initial or zero position at each operation thereof, saidcontrol means including a device for moving the said indicatoralternatively one or a plurality of steps in a direction away from itsinitial or zero position at each operation thereof, the number of saidsteps at each operation being determined by the particular one of thesaid pockets the said ball enters, means for resetting the said freeplay indicator back into its initial position, means for moving the saidball-retaining member into ball-releasing position, and means forsimultaneously operating both the said resetting means for the said freeplay indicator and the said means for moving the said ball-retainingmember into ball-releasing position.

3. A free play device for an amusement apparatus or the type whichincludes a cabinet hav ing an inclined playing board provided withball-- receiving pockets, and a ball-retaining member slidably mountedin the said cabinet below the said inclined playing board fortemporarily retaining therein balls which enter into the said pockets,said free play device comprising a free play indicator movably mountedin the said cabinet, control means actuated by a ball entering one ofthe said pockets for moving the said indicator in a direction away fromits initial or zero position at each operation thereof, said controlmeans including a device for moving the said free play indicatoralternatively one or a plurality of steps in a direction away from itsinitial or zero position at each operation thereof, the number of saidsteps at each operation being determined by the particular pocket thesaid ball enters, means for resetting the said free play indicator backinto its initial position, means for moving the said ballretainingmember into ball-releasing position, means for simultaneously operatingboth the said resetting means for the said free play indicator and thesaid means for moving the said ball-retaining member, and means for preventing operation of the said means for moving the said ball-retainingmember, and of the said resetting means for the said free playindicator, when the said free play indicator is in its initial or zeroposition.

'4. A free play device for an amusement apparatus of the type whichincludes a cabinet having an inclined playing board provided withballreceiving pockets, and a ball-retaining member slidably mounted inthe said cabinet below the said inclined playing board for temporarilyretaining therein balls which enter into the said pockets, said freeplay device comprising a free play indicator a utment movably mounted inor adjacent to the said cabinet, control means actuated by a ballentering one of the said pockets for moving the said free play indicatorin a direction away from its initial or zero position at each operationthereof, said control means including a device for moving the said freeplay indicator alternatively one or a plurality of steps in a directionaway from its initial or zero position at each operation thereof, thenumber of said steps at each operation being determined by theparticular one of the said pockets the said ball enters, means forresetting the said free play indicator back into its initial position,means for moving the said ball-retaining member into ball -releasingposition, and a manual control member movably mounted in a wall of thesaid cabinet for simultaneously operating both the said resetting meansfor the said free play indicator and the said means for moving the saidball-retaining member into ball-releasing position.

5. A free play device for an amusement apparatus of the type whichincludes a cabinet having an inclined playing board down which playingballs are adapted to travel, said free play device comprising a freeplay indicator movably mounted in or adjacent to the said cabinet, andcontrol means actuated by a ball traveling down the said inclinedplaying board for moving the said free play indicator in a directionaway from its initial or zero position at each operation thereof, saidcontrol means including a device for moving the said free play indicatoralternatively one or a plurality of steps away from its initial or zeroposition at each operation thereof.

6. A free play device for an amusement apparatus of the type whichincludes a cabinet having an inclined playing board down which playingballs are adapted to travel, said free play device comprising a freeplay indicator movably mounted in or adjacent to the said cabinet,control means actuated by a ball traveling down the said inclinedplaying board for moving the said free play indicator in a directionaway from its initial or zero position at each operation thereof, saidcontrol means including a device for moving the said free play indicatoralternatively one or a plurality of steps in a direction away from itsinitial or zero position at each operation thereof, and means forresetting the said free play indicator back into its initial position.

'7. A free play device for an amusement apparatus of the type whichincludes a cabinet or casing having a surface over which a ball may beplayed, said free play device comprising a free play indicator movablymounted in or adjacent to the said cabinet, and control means actuatedby a ball in the said cabinet for moving the said free play indicator ina direction away from its initial or zero position, said control meansincluding a device for moving the said free play indicator a variablenumber of steps away from its initial or zero position at each operationthereof.

8. A free play device for an amusement apparatus of the type whichincludes a cabinet or casing having a surface over which a ball may beplayed, said free play device comprising a free play indicator movablymounted in or adjacent to the said cabinet, and control means actuatedby a ball in the said cabinet for moving the said free play indicator ina direction away from its initial or zero position, said control meansincluding a device for moving the said free play indicator a pluralityof steps away from its initial or zero position at each operationthereof.

JOSEPH H. TIGERMAN.

